Convertible back seat installation.

[jamesroney]

I am working on a 1970 Dodge Challenger Convertible.

I am trying to install the back seat and I can't seem to get it to fit.  There is a bracket welded to the floor that is threaded for a seat belt bolt.  But when I install the seat belt bolt...the seat frame interferes with the bolt.

Can anyone tell me which bolt location is correct for the convertible?  Are the seat bottom frames the same for all e-bodies?  Which seat "cleat" should the rear seat lock in to?

THANKS!

[71vert340]

Here's the rear seat belts on my 71 and they should be the same.
Terry

[71vert340]

 I went back through some more photos I took of that area when I was cleaning it up awhile back. Something had been spilled under there probably 40 years ago and made a mess. Almost looked like a cola and caused some surface rust. Anyway here's a couple more photos. My belts have never been out of the car. My bolts go most of the way in and don't stick out like yours does. Sorry for the grainy photos.
Terry

[jamesroney]

@71vert340 Thank you for the pics.  Very helpful!

I can see that your belts are attached to the holes that are furthest back.  That makes sense.  I have no idea why there is a provision for a front location...but maybe it is used on the hardtops.

I still don't see how the seat can fit between those brackets.  I don't know if my seat came from this car, or from another e-body, or from something else.

Thanks again,
James.

[71vert340]

The seat bottom in my car fits between the brackets just fine. If you do not have the seat belt bolts in, does the seat bottom fit in between the brackets then?
Terry

[Jay Bee]

Hey James, your seat belt bracket looks different my convertible's original. 

Also, mine used a C13 seat belt bolt, it has the shortest shoulder. I don't know if it was swapped out years ago because because it contradicts what this site says it should be.

The last three pictures are my rear seat. The close-ups are the left side, same as the bracket.

[Jay Bee]

Oh yeah, AMD sells those seat brackets. Yours look like some extra extension was welded to them.

[anlauto]

Challengers had the extension piece, Cudas didn't 

[Jay Bee]

Challengers had the extension piece, Cudas didn't 

Thanks, I did not know that. You'd think AMD's website would make that distinction. Instead it's just referred to 70-71 Dodge Plymouth E body.
http://www.autometaldirect.com/advanced_search_result.php?filter=&keywords=rear+seat+belt&x=9&y=5

[anlauto]

Challenger convertibles moved the rear seat forward 2" to compensate for the 2" longer wheel base.

The Challenger is 2" longer then the Cuda, but when it comes to the convertibles, they share the exact same side glass and the exact same roof. There for the interior is actually the same size as the Cuda....the whole roof is also moved forward 2" on the Challenger convertible.

Here is the difference in the brackets welded to the center floor pan. Challenger vs Cuda

[anlauto]

Challengers had the extension piece, Cudas didn't 

Thanks, I did not know that. You'd think AMD's website would make that distinction. Instead it's just referred to 70-71 Dodge Plymouth E body.
http://www.autometaldirect.com/advanced_search_result.php?filter=&keywords=rear+seat+belt&x=9&y=5

Not really because that bracket is used on both, but Challenger got the extension 

[Jay Bee]

Gotcha ya, thanks again. So you'd have to save that extension if you were to swap the bracket out.

[jamesroney]

The seat bottom in my car fits between the brackets just fine. If you do not have the seat belt bolts in, does the seat bottom fit in between the brackets then?
Terry

@71vert340 Great Idea.  it turns out that the bolts are not the problem.  I removed the belts and bolts...and still can't resolve the problem.

My floorpan looks exactly the same as the pic of the 70 Challenger from @anlauto The seat back mount sits about 2.5 inches forward, and there are extensions welded to the brackets, and there are two cleat locations as pictured.

I attached a picture of the seat pan with the back removed, and the seat pan latched to the front cleat.  You can see it sits about 8 inches forward of the bracket.  With the seat back installed, there is enough gap between the back and pan to drop a beer can between the two.

Does the convertible seat clip to the front most cleat, or to the rearward one?

Thanks!